Vehicle-wheel.



M. G. SGHWAB. VEHICLE WHEEL. APPLICATION Mum APBJQ, 1210.

1,005,891, Patentad 001;.17, 1911.

Jag 2 IIHIIIIIW MARTIN C. SCHWAB, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 19, 1910.

Patented Oct. 1'7, 1911. Serial No. 556,409.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN C. SGHWAB, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Wheels, of whichthe followin is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in vehicle wheels and has especialreference to that class of resilient wheels wherein the resilientelement is removed some distance from the surface over which the wheelpasses.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a wheel which will haveall of the advantages of the ordinary wheel provided with a pneumatictire, and in which a great many of the disadvantages are not present.

Another object of my invention is to provide a resilient wheel, of thecharacter described, wherein the tractive effect of the wheel isincreased by an irregular tractive surface which I provide in theillustrative embodiment by a series of rubber balls which are held in arigid peripheral cage surround ing the ordinary pneumatic tire, with theballs in contact against the outer surface of the tire, and presentedfor contact with the roadway, to engage the latter as teeth on a wheel,and thereby prevent the rotary slip of the wheel.

Other and further objects of my invention will become readily apparentto persons skilled in the art from a consideration of the followingdescription, taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein- Figure 1is a side elevation of a fragmentary portion of the wheel; and Fig. 2 isa section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

In both of the views, similar reference characters indicate similarparts.

In the embodiment shown, 5 is the rim of the wheel connected to thespokes, 6, in the usual manner. Against the rim the pneumatic tire, 7,has circumferential contact. In this respect, my wheel differs onlyslightly from wheels of this eneral character. The rim 5, extendsradlally beyond the pneumatic tire, 7 as indicated at 5 and 5, forming acircumferential chamber between the limits of the parts 5 and 5", forcontaining the pneumatic tire, and the bearing balls. The extensions, 5and 5", are each joined at intervals by a bridge, 5. These bridges 5divide the rim circumferentially into a series of pockets in which areplaced balls, 8, preferably of rubber. Each of the pockets,

within the rim, for the reception of the balls is provided on eitherside with circular apertures, 9, sufliciently large to admit the ballinto the respective pockets. These apertures, 9, extend from bridge tobridge on the sides 5 and 5 The parts, 5 and 5", approach each other attheir radial extremities so that their separation is less than themaximum diameter of the ball; so that when the ball is inserted intoeither of the pockets, it is prevented from passing through the circularapertures in the peripheral wall between the parts 5 and 5*, but isfree, however, to move radially inwardly against the resilient tire, 7,when in contact with the roadway. Ribs, 7 and 7", are placed atintervals around the tire, preferably between the apertures, 9, for thepurpose of strengthening the sides of the extended rim parts, 5 and 5The bridges 5 which divide the circumferential space within the rimextension, 5 and 5", into pockets to contain balls, 8, are preferablyremovable and secured to the parts 5* and 5 in any convenient manner asby screws 10, so that the tire may be placed within the rim.

The use and operatiomof my device is as follows: The rim, 5, with itsextensions, 5 and 5", preferably forming a unitary structure, is placedupon the wheel of the vehicle and secured in the usual manner. Theinflated tire 7 is then placed Within the space included between theextensions, 5 and 5". The balls 8 are in turn passed through theapertures, 9, into their positions shown in Fig. 1. The tire is theninflated, and thereby the balls are firmly held in their outermostradial position in Fig. 2, and are capable of being impressed inwardlyagainst the pneumatic pressure exerted by the tire 7. It will beapparent that a ball upon being pressed in against the inflated tire bycontact with the roadbed, forms in the tire an indentation the entiresurface of which engages the ball surface. This frictional engagementbetween the two curved rubber surfaces acts to restrain the ball frombein rotated in its pocket, as the frictional coe ficients of twocontacting rubber surfaces are so reat as to amount to practically afixed re ation.

In the event of damage to an inflated ball, if the latter be used, itmay be quickly and easily replaced by the insertion of a new ballthrough the aperature 9 in place of the defective one. In the ordinaryuse of the apparatus, the ball will be sufiiciently retained in place,shown in the drawing, and cannot under ordinary use, be disturbed ormoved from their relative pockets, and are yieldingly movable within thecontaining cage.

In my improved structure, the tire is removed from direct contact withthe roadway, and is not subject to the extensive Wear and danger ofpuncture attendant upon contact therewith. The resilience of the tire,however, is available through the instrumentality of the balls, thepressure on the balls 8 tending to hold them outward in thecircumferential rim case, so that each of the balls is resilientlyyielding as a result of the pneumatic pressure effected by the tireagainst the balls.

Another advantage residing in my construction is the fact that theuneven circumferential surface of the wheel, between the balls,increases the tractive effect of the wheel on muddy, snowy roadways,rendering traction chains, placed across the tire, unnecessary, andtherefore avoiding the noise and wear of such chain devices.

What I claim is:

1. In a vehicle wheel providing a concaved rim and an inflatable tire incircumferential contact therewith, extensions, 5 -5", integral with saidrim at regular intervals along each edge of the rim, said extensionsbeing of shape to provide therebetween regularly spaced circularperforations and meeting over said rim to form a circumferential chamberbetween the limits of said extensions, the portions of said extensionsstructure overlying the said rim having circular perforations atintervals corresponding to the side perforations and of less diameterthan said side perforations, bridge members, 5, secured between opposingextension members, 5 -5 of shape to overlie the inflated tire, saidbridges dividing said circumferential ball-receivin chamber into pocketsarranged at regular intervals correspending to the perforations in saidextension structure, and balls each of diameter permitting insertionthereof through the side perforations, whereby each ball is positivelymaintained in its respective pocket, but is free to move radiallytherein when in contact with the roadway.

2. In a vehicle Wheel providing a conca at d rim and an inflatable tirein circumferential contact therewith, extensions, 55, lilitgi'iil withsaid rim at regular intervals along raeh edge of the rim, saidextensicns being of shape to provide therebetween regularly spacedcircular perforations meeting over said rim to form a circumferentialchamber between the limits of said extensions, balls for insertion intosaid chamber through said perforations to move freely therein when thetire is exhausted, the portion of said extension structure overlyingsaid rim being circularly perforated at intervals corresponding to theside perforations and of less diameter than said side perforations forengagement with said balls when pressed thereinto by inflation of saidtire, bridges, 5, secured between opposing extension members, 5 -5 fordividing said circumferential ball-receiving chamber into pocketsarranged at regular intervals corresponding to the perforations in saidextension structure, said bridges being of shape to prevent balls frommoving around said rim but to permit movement radially thereof, andstrengthening ribs, 7 and 7*, upon the outside of said extensionmembers, 5"-5", contacting with said extension members at points leftunstrengthened by inside ehntact with said bridges, as and for thepurposes described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

MARTIN C. SCHWAB.

In the presence of MARY F. ALLEN, V. LINN ALLEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C."

